Preservation Excellence: Serenity House Receives Prestigious Good Steward Award

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WEST CHESTER, PA — The Westtown Historical Commission recently awarded their annual Good Steward Award to Craig and Mary Harlyvetch of Oakbourne Road, in Westtown, PA. The award honors property owners who have made efforts to preserve the character of a historic home or building. The award was given at last Sunday’s Westtown Day event held at Oakbourne Mansion in Westtown.

The historic Chester County home is named Serenity and is nearly 250 years old. Craig and Mary have made continued efforts over the years to preserve much of the original structure, and in some cases, commissioned hardware to be replicated in the authentic style of the Colonial period. The couple decided to name their home Serenity, labeled near the front door.

A glass-topped table in Serenity displays historic artifacts the couple found around the property during their historic renovations. Besides centuries-old po9ery, coins and toys is an intact patent medicine bottle.

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The award plaque was presented by the chair of the Historical Commission, Pam Boulos. “We were delighted to vote for the Serenity House this year”, explained Pam. “To find a home built in the 1780s so well cared for is a great example of the love of history shown by many residents in Westtown and around Chester County”. Mary Harlyvetch is retired from a career at QVC; Craig administers marketing data at Longwood Gardens.

Readers can contact the Westtown Historical Commission at historical@westtown.org.

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